“With all of the new development in downtown Kent, we were able to expand the blues fest significantly this year,” says Mike Beder, one of the event organizers, co-owner of Tree City Coffee & Pastry, and owner of the Water Street Tavern and the Venice Café. “The community has really embraced this festival and it’s now become one of Kent’s signature events.”

On Saturday, July 19, at 8 p.m., Grammy Award-winning bluesman John Hammond headlines the Kent Stage. Hammond is an inductee into the Blues Hall of Fame and a master performer in concert. The New York Times call him “a blues legend with a voice like Robert Johnson.”

Opening the Saturday concert will be Rory Block. The Blues Foundation says “she is widely regarded as the top female interpreter and authority on traditional country blues worldwide."

As a top Ohio undergraduate and graduate school, Kent State's eight campuses offer the resources of a large university with the friendly atmosphere of a liberal arts college. Enroll today to start pursuing your future at one of the best colleges in Ohio. We’ve been educating graduates for over 100 years; join us today.